1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ablation catheter.
2. Description of Related Art
In an ablation catheter that has been known up to now, an electrode provided in the catheter leading end is brought into contact with an epicardium, and a high-frequency current is thus fed thereto, whereby a cardiac muscle tissue is cauterized (see, for example, the Publication of Japanese Patent No. 4040672 (hereinafter referred to as “JP 4040672”)).
Unfortunately, according to the ablation catheter disclosed in JP 4040672, in the case where the fat layer attached to the epicardium is thick or where the cardiac muscle is thickened due to cardiac hypertrophy and the like, the electrode in the catheter leading end cannot be brought close to a target site existing in a deep portion of the cardiac muscle tissue, and hence sufficient cauterization cannot be performed.
The present invention, which has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, has an object to provide an ablation catheter capable of sufficiently cauterizing a target site existing in a deep portion of a cardiac muscle tissue even in the case where the fat layer attached to an epicardium is thick or where the cardiac muscle is thickened due to cardiac hypertrophy and the like.